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Little League: How bad of a coaching blunder?
by Coach K
Your Decisions Were Solid
Coach K asked: Playing in a 11-12 year old tournament, we were down 7-5 in the bottom of the 6th with the top of the order up. When an offense can, and does, make use of all the offensive strategy available, there are many more opportunities for the defense to make a physical or mental mistake. Does it always work out? No it doesn't. The odds for success are more in your favor however, especially at the age your team is at. As a coach, you always feel bad when you call something and it doesn't work; but that's the game of baseball. You analyze the situation, know your players better than anyone else... turn it loose. Had you decided to play that inning out, station to station, and it ended up a loss as well, everyone would have wanted to know why on earth you didn't have that base runner steal like he did in the first. It is always easy to second guess, after the outcome has occurred. Then, there is only one answer, you shouldn't have done what you did because it didn't work. That thought process lets everyone off the hook, except the coach. In 2007 we were in a high school varsity game, dealing with a lefty who was eating us up. We gave up a few runs, had nothing going offensively. In the top of the 6th, 2 outs, the lefty walked our catcher. We gave him the steal and he stole second. We gave him the sign again, he stole third. Runner on third, 2 outs. We gave him the steal again, when he took off from third base, their entire dugout erupted, screaming steal. With his back to third base, the pitcher didn't see him start and reacted to the screams, air mailing the pitch high up on the backstop. We had our first run. Rattled, the pitcher gave up 3 hits in a row, we were getting closer. Won the game in the top of the 7th, they totally melted down. We had been struggling as a team up to that point in the season; that situation and game were a turning point. The next game we lost was the final of the State Tournament. You never know where those things are going to go. What you can count on...they won't go anywhere unless you step up and use them. Baseball is much more fun when you create pressure for the team in the other dugout. Good luck as you go forward. Your players are fortunate to have someone who cares about the game as much as you do. Teams don't always win; but I don't believe there is such a thing as a bad day in baseball, it is a near perfect game and a great builder of character and determination. Hang in there. I tell my players, the good thing about baseball is there is always another game, another at bat, ground ball, fly ball, pitch to hit, base to steal...etc. Nothing is fatal or permanent, for players or coaches. Yours in baseball, Rick
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